Frankenwagen build thread AKA TD Corrado

[Smokey Eddy]

Would it be hard/a bad idea to go for an earlier steering column? I'm sure we could find one at pick-a-part. $45 for an adjustable one like any from an MK2. not sure how that all works though with your rack being a corrado rack and stuff.

[catlin_cava]

I have a MK3 ignition housing around if you want it?

[RadoTD]

Would it be hard/a bad idea to go for an earlier steering column? I'm sure we could find one at pick-a-part. $45 for an adjustable one like any from an MK2. not sure how that all works though with your rack being a corrado rack and stuff.

I'm not so sure whether or not it's that easy. A B3 Passat would more likely fit. It's all pretty tight around the column itself. Another part of my problem right now is that it's very difficult to actually remove the housing from the steering column. At the junkyard, I'd probably have to cut it all out to get those shear bolts out back at home...
I did notice that I can actually make a bracket to drop the steering wheel down and bring it closer to me! Very tempting. If I did that and moved the shifter about 3-4" further back somehow, it could be a perfectly fitting cockpit! haha
Maybe I'll just take a bunch of pictures anyway and make a trip to pick-a-part next Tuesday. I'm sure while I'm there I'll find some other stuff I need want anyway


On a good note, I may have found a solution to fixing that crack; Uniweld 4200. http://www.uniweld.com/catalog/alloys/maintenance_repair/uni-4200.htm
Cast aluminum isn't listed anywhere on there, but I've got my fingers crossed hoping it might still work. It only needs 710deg F, so technically it's aluminum solder. That's nowhere near enough heat to melt aluminum, so I shouldn't make the casting too brittle.
Only problem is that stuff is apparently discontinued. I might be able to hunt some down still though, I'm going to call uniweld tomorrow
I just found this stuff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-cv3R4fWZc
Friggen nuts. I actually want to get some of that just to try it out. If it works half as well as that video claims, I'll be thoroughly impressed!

And thanks Catlin, I'll let you know if I need it!

[Smokey Eddy]

wow that stuff is great!

[RadoTD]

I've got some Uniweld 4200 on order, so I'll see how well that works! Worth a shot anyway

Got some good work done on a side project today though. The AAZ pump's LDA is... lacking. I've got a 1.6TD boost pin, but that doesn't even seem to do much. Rotated from the least amount of fuel possible around to the most fuel brings my EGT's on a 3s romp up by about 100deg, if that. So, I'm going to be turning my own boost pin on a lathe and doing a few things to get as much as I possibly can out of the LDA. I doubt I'll be able to floor it at low boost without puking black smoke out, but I'll see what I can do.
The ramp I'll be cutting will be fairly steep, so to try and soften the angle, I'm making aluminum spacer(s) to increase the travel of the pin. Right now as my pump sits, the needle starts moving at about half throttle and pokes out about 3mm by full throttle. I've had to rotate the throttle shaft back a few notches to keep my idle in check already, so in theory I can move my full throttle stop out a fair bit, so I'll probably have 4-5mm of needle travel. Given that the vertical travel of the pin stock isn't much more than that, it means it'll be riding on about a 45deg angle. Increasing the vertical travel will both give it a softer angle and in theory make it easier to get smooth travel with changing boost pressures.
It's 3/16" thick (nearly 5mm), not sure if I'll make two of them or just one. I'll figure out what angle it'll be sitting at tomorrow after I get some sleep. Too much work lately 

But enough talking, I took a few pictures...

LDA cap (actually from a 1.6TD pump that has seen it's best days many moons ago) sitting on my 3/16" thick aluminum stock ready for a rough cut



Waiting for my CA glue to dry to hold the LDA cap in place while I drill the holes, cut it closer with an angle grinder and then run it around a router with a flush trim bit



Showing the aluminum plate glued to the LDA cap lined up against my router bit



After most of the cutting. The glue decided to break off just before this, picture taken while waiting for the glue to dry.... again. I think a fair bit of it burnt off from trimming with the angle grinder.



Basically finished, quick 10s sand/polish by hand then scribed to find the center and center punched for the hole to be drilled in the middle. I'll do this at work where we have a drill press instead of trying to use the hole saw by hand.

[Smokey Eddy]

I think that will work really well Matt. just be sure that your pin is polished to a mirror finish and it should travel smoothly.

[arsenicpants]

lookin' good

thanks for the boost controller parts list
i took a trip to KMS and Princess auto today (KMS hot dogs and vendor demo day, cheap tools, woo!)
I got everything except a ball bearing

i thought about just buying a sealed bearing and cutting it apart to get the balls inside, but i can't really tell what size balls are inside just by looking at one
I'll try Lordco and a few other places tomorrow, lordco sometimes has weird things like that

cheers

[Thezorn]

lookin' good

thanks for the boost controller parts list
i took a trip to KMS and Princess auto today (KMS hot dogs and vendor demo day, cheap tools, woo!)
I got everything except a ball bearing

i thought about just buying a sealed bearing and cutting it apart to get the balls inside, but i can't really tell what size balls are inside just by looking at one
I'll try Lordco and a few other places tomorrow, lordco sometimes has weird things like that

cheers

Go to any decent bicycle shop and ask them for a 1/4" ball bearing. I payed like 10 cents for mine.

[arsenicpants]

good idea!
thanks

[RadoTD]

good idea!
thanks

And I know I've got more in the back at work if you still need one

[RadoTD]

How about installing a clamp around that column?

The ignition cylinder housing slides overtop of it. There's probably enough room for the band of a clamp, but the bolt on the clamp would get in the way

I'm picking up a hoist from a friend of mine around noon or 1pm, so the engine is coming out today!

[RadoTD]

I didn't end up working on the car at all today, but I did get my hands on a certain roots style blower better known as an Eaton M90.

I was thinking for a bit about possibly running it along with the K24, but once I got it home and sized it up in my engine bay, I realized that wouldn't be very easy... this thing is MASSIVE. Once it's sunny, I'll take a better look at any way of fitting it, but it probably won't happen. I'm more tempted to run it just because it would be awesome than for any logical reason! 

[Smokey Eddy]

Post the pics of our man-date

[RadoTD]

Post the pics of our man-date

Man date!


Ed's car, of course



Ropes attached, starting to pull up le moteur



Mr Eddy himself!



Didn't fit coming straight up, had to remove the whole front clip to get it



And it's gone



Found it! No harm done



I've pulled the transmission and clutch off, but one of the flywheel bolts is on there pretty good and I got a complaint about using my impact at 8pm, so I'm not going to sit there for 30s straight trying to rip the last bolt off. I've go the day off work tomorrow and nothing planned other than pulling the engine apart!

[Smokey Eddy]

8pm?!?! if it were still july there would still be 2+ hours of daylight...
plus, im almost sporting some serious crack in that picture...